"Ode to Plum Blossoms – The Artistry of Qian Zhaoxi" by the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble

‘[Qian Zhaoxi’s music has] a heart-stirring charm and is of a very, very high standard.’ People's Music

Programme

Qian Zhaoxi (1936-2005) was a highly influential composer in contemporary dizi music in China. His works distinguished themselves with the interesting blending of traditional culture and modern aesthetics. This concert is programmed along the line of a selection of Qian’s most famous works for dizi, and performed by the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble led by Artistic Director Ho Man-chuen. The group has invited National Class One Dizi Performer, Zhan Yongming, who has premiered several of Qian’s works, to be the soloist on this occasion. They will also be joined by some of the dizi virtuosi of Hong Kong. Together they will showcase the many facets of Chinese music in the 20th century.

Ensemble

Moon in the Water

from Searching for the West Lake in Dreams

Qian Zhaoxi

Abacus and Ensemble

The Abacus Rondo

Qian Zhaoxi

Gudi & Ensemble

Primitive Safari

Qian Zhaoxi

Xun, Chi Duet & Ensemble

Chant of Brotherly Love

Qian Zhaoxi

Dizi & Ensemble

Ode to Plum Blossoms

Ancient Melody
Arr. by Qian Zhaoxi

Dizi & Ensemble

The Flying Partridges

Folk Song
Arr. by Zhao Songting
Arr. and Orch. by Qian Zhaoxi

Dizi & Septet

Lovers’ Sorrow

Guangdong Music
Arr. by Qian Zhaoxi

Dizi Solo

Selling Vegetables

Shanxi Folk Song
Arr. by Liu Guanyue
Arr. and Orch. by Qian Zhaoxi

Dizi Nonet,
Piano & Percussion

The Impression of Iban

Qian Zhaoxi

About the Performer

Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble

The Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble was founded in 2003 with promoting Chinese and Hong Kong local music culture as its mission. Apart from researching and studying traditional Chinese folk music, it also dedicates itself towards exploring modern Chinese ensemble music, and exhibiting the unique charms and styles of Chinese ensemble music, described as “small but elegant, and simple but refined”. The members have received professional music training and possess extensive experience in concert performance in Hong Kong and overseas. At present, majority of the members are working in the fields of music performance, education and research. In addition to its local engagements, the Ensemble has represented Hong Kong in exchange performances in the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hunnan, Zhejiang and Shanghai, bringing the local culture of Chinese music to audiences in neighbouring and overseas cities.

The Ensemble Website: www.chineseflute.org

Ho Man-chuen

Conductor

Ho Man-chuen is a renowned music educationist and conductor. He is currently appointed as an instructor of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Resident Conductor of the Academy Chinese Orchestra, Artistic Advisor of the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble, and Artistic Advisor cum Principal Conductor of the Hong Kong Music Lover Chinese Orchestra. He has been the Music Officer and the conductor of Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra of the Music Office. He has conducted many local orchestras and the famous music virtuosi he has collaborated including Min Huifan, Xiao Baiyong, Yue Qiwei et al.

Zhan Yongming

Dizi / Gudi

Zhan Yongming is a National Class One Musician currently appointed as professor at the Department of Traditional Instruments, Supervisor on its Master’s degree programme and Head of the Centre of Teaching and Research of Wind Music at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is also the honorary president of the Zhao Songting Society of Dizi Music and a member of the Chinese Musicians’ Association. Zhan received dizi training under Zhao Songting. He has given performances and lectures in many parts of the world. His masterly performance has won him the accolades as “The Magic Flute”, and was hailed by the Washington Post as “an outstanding performer of our time”. He was also presented with the title “An Expert with Outstanding Contribution (Young to Middle-aged Category)” by the State Council of China.

Choo Boon-chong#

Dizi

Born in Singapore, Choo Boon-chong is currently the Assistant Dizi Principal of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Chairman of the Hong Kong Bamboo Flute Society and a member of the Chinese Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. As a member of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra since 1979, Choo has performed with the Orchestra in many countries and appears as a guest soloist with other orchestras including the Taipei Chinese Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Wang Kwong Chinese Orchestra, etc. Excelled in bangdi, Choo has recorded many musical pieces for television programmes, commercials, films and records.

# By kind permission of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra

Chan Chi-yuk#

Dizi / Chi

Chan Chi-yuk is currently a full-time dizi musician with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and pursuing postgraduate studies in dizi at the Master of Music – Performance Programme of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). He began learning the dizi under Lam Si-kwan at the age of nine, and entered the HKAPA in 2000 where he majored in dizi under Sun Yongzhi, and minored in dongxiao under Tam Po-shek. In 1997, under the baton of National Class One Conductor Qu Chunquan, Chan performed the premiere of For the Love of the Yellow Earth, a concerto for two dizis. He gave a dizi recital with his elder brother Chan Chi-chun at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2011.

# By kind permission of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra

Chan Chi-chun

Xun

Chan Chi-chun began learning the dizi under Lam Si-kwan at the age of nine. Chan graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2007 with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) degree, where he majored in dizi under Sun Yongzhi and minored in dongxiao under Tam Po-shek. He later pursued postgraduate studies in Ethnomusicology under Yu Siu-wah at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and attained a Master of Philosophy degree. His field of study was funeral music in Hong Kong and wind-and-percussion music of Guangdong. He and his younger brother Chan Chi-yuk gave a dizi recital at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2011. The following year, he joined with the Hong Kong Cantonese Orchestra to participate in the "2012 CCTV Ethnic Instrumental Music Television Competition" and won the Silver Award in the Ensemble Section.

Chak Yuet-man

Abacus

Chak Yuet-man graduated from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) degree in Chinese Music. She was trained in Chinese percussion and Western percussion under Yim Hok-man, Choy Lap-tak and Sophia Woo Shuk-fai. She was awarded the Enchanting Music Scholarship while at the Academy. Chak studied Chinese and Western percussion under the tutelage of Luk Kin-bun and Law Hang-leung in 2002. In 2003, she formed the percussion group, Made in Hong Kong, with friends. She is currently a freelance musician with the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, percussion musician of the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble, and the member of the Made in Hong Kong @ Four Gig Heads and the Hong Kong Percussion Ensemble.

Chan Chiu-yin

Docent in Cantonese

Chan Chiu-yin is a seasoned music administrator and has been engaged in instrumental music performance, music education, training of orchestras and arts administration. He is currently the Executive Director of the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble, an honorary committee member of the China Dizi Society, an honorary executive committee member of the Guangdong Dizi Society, President of the Hong Kong Chinese Instrumental Association, an executive member of the Hong Kong Bamboo Flute Society, Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong YWCA Chinese Orchestra, and Conductor of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Student’s Union Chinese Orchestra.

Hong Kong Bamboo Flute Society

The Hong Kong Bamboo Flute Society was founded in 1996 with the aim of promoting and developing the art of dizi. The Society has collaborated with dizi artists including Zhang Weiliang, Du Rusong, Li Zhen, Ma Di, Kong Qingbao, Wang Tiechui, Qu Xiang and Zeng Yongqing from the Mainland; Cheung Heung-wah, Timothy Wilson, Sun Yongzhi, Tam Po-shek, Choo Boon-chong and Lam Si-kwan in Hong Kong; Lin Guzhen and Chen Zhongshen from Taiwan; as well as Heihachiro Tsukamoto from Japan. It was also invited to participate in exchange activities of the art of dizi and performances in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Singapore.

Ticketing

Tickets available from 19 April onwards at all URBTIX outlets, on Internet and by Credit Card Telephone Booking.

Half-price tickets available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and the minder, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (Limited tickets for CSSA recipients available on a first-come-first-served basis).

Group Booking Discount: 10% off for each purchase of 4-9 standard tickets; 15% off for 10-19 standard tickets; 20% off for 20 or more standard tickets.

Patrons can enjoy only one of the above discount schemes for each purchase. Please inform the box office staff at the time of purchase.

Programme Length

Running time of the performance is about 2 hours with an intermission of 15 minutes.

Audiences are strongly advised to arrive punctually. No latecomers will be admitted until the interval or a suitable break in the programme.